Major Change Coming To AEW In New WBD Deal
It seems the speculation is nearly over, although no announcement has been made, AEW has made a deal with Warner Brothers Discovery with one big change coming.
AEW has long been involved in talks with Warner Bros Discovery regarding a new media rights deal. The company’s current deal expires in 2024 and the situation has created wave after wave of speculation over the future of Tony Khan’s shows on TBS and TNT.
According to a report from Fightful Select, WBD recently made another offer for the promotion’s long-term media rights. The offer reportedly came after Tony Khan and WBD boss David Zaslav met in Paris during the Olympics.
The offer is said to be “extensive,” and currently in AEW’s hands under review. Although no public announcement has yet been made, it seems the deal is done and it will mean a major change for some of AEW’s biggest shows.
AEW’s PPVs Involved In New Deal
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that AEW and WBD have come to an agreement on a deal and there will be involvement of pay-per-view shows, something that had not been previously involved in the media rights deal:
The WBD deal is a done deal. There are going to be changes, there is going to be a pay-per-view component in this deal. What that is? I don’t know. But if they’re doubling the number and WBD is getting the rights to the pay-per-view I could see that makes doubling the number more sense in a lot of ways.
I don’t know exactly if it’s going to be how UFC does it, if it’s going to be how WWE does it, but there is going to be a deal with (HBO) MAX with the pay-per-views in some form.
The next AEW pay-per-view event will take place on the 12th of October when WrestleDream emanates from Tacoma, Washington. Bryan Danielson has avoided a big title match before that show takes place in his home state but will no doubt hope to have his AEW World Championship on the line at that event.